Quick recap:
1st Reading - Isaish - God's ways are not our ways.
Psalm 145 - The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Epistle - Philippians - life is Christ and death is gain.
Gospel - parable of the landowner who hires laborers for his vineyard and pays them all the same wage, regardless of how long they worked.
This Sunday's parable challenges me. I am called to apply this in all areas of my life, and I generally fall short. It's a great story of the landowner who goes out several times during the day to find workers for his vineyard. Each time he goes out, he hires more laborers. At the end of the day, he pays them all the same wage. Those who worked all day grumbled. The landowner asks if they are envious of his generosity. He reminds them that they agreed to work for the wage they received, and that he can do what he wants with his money.
Several thoughts came up in bible study as we discussed the Scriptures. I can easily correlate this parable to someone who joins the Catholic faith as an adult. In the end, we all are offered the same gift - salvation! It is freely and generously given by God, and our labor and toil do not 'earn' us Heaven. In my experience, those who are not cradle Catholics often have a spark that us cradle Catholics take for granted or even bury. I know my life is greatly enriched by my amazing friends who live their faith, no matter when they answered the call.
However, if you take this story into a different context, I run into a brick wall. In my tunnel vision, I struggle to apply this at work, in daily actions, or any time I deem something isn't 'fair'. I know better, but an inner voice pops up and points out the imbalance of a situation, even if I am not negatively impacted. Yes, there is a time to speak up for justice and inequality, but I also need to clarify my motives. Am I completely altruistic or do I have a hidden agenda? Am I pointing out something that is unfair, or am I envious of a generous situation?
Thinking back on some situations, I can see now that my indignation wasn't necessarily warranted. When I thought I was being righteous, I realize that I was judging. Instead of appreciating what I had, I coveted another's generosity. My goal is to look for generosity and appreciate the gift, even when I am not the recipient. I challenge you to do the same.
Prayer - Lord, you now my heart. Help me to open my eyes to my true motives. Generosity comes from You alone, for without You, we could not exist. Help me to appreciate the goodness of all people, especially when I do not benefit from their actions.
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